Eating less protein may help you live longer, study says

We’ve all heard of the benefits of eating less meat and more fruits and vegetables, but a new study shows that cutting back on protein could prevent many diseases that may shorten our lives.

New research shows that limiting protein-rich foods that contain high levels of sulfur amino acids, like meat, dairy and nuts, may reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease, according to CNN. The study was published in the journal Lancet EClinical Medicine and revealed that higher sulfur amino acid intake was also linked to a higher cardiovascular disease risk.

"This study provides the first epidemiologic evidence that excessive dietary intake of sulfur amino acids may be related to chronic disease outcomes in humans," John Richie, professor of public health sciences at Penn State College of Medicine said in a statement.

The goal of the study was to examine associations between the consumption of foods high in sulfur amino acids and the risk of cardiovascular disease. The sample included around 11,000 participants who each completed an interview about eating and dieting habits, and underwent a physical examination.

The study concluded Americans are eating 2.5 times the amount of sulfur amino acid than the estimated nutritional requirement, according to co-author Xiang Bao, director of the nutritional epidemiology lab at Penn State University.

“Although sulfur amino acids play critical roles in metabolism and overall health maintenance, accumulating evidence from animal studies have suggested that diets restricted in sulfur amino acids are associated with many health benefits including increased longevity and reductions in aging-related diseases and disorders,” the study reads.

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